By Mylena C. Ferman
Women veterans are cordially invited to join the first Afternoon Tea for Women Veterans at Veterans Memorial Park, located at 3602 N. U.S. 301 in Tampa.
From 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., women veterans will be in for an afternoon of fine tea, fun games and friendship. Guests will also learn about various resources available for women veterans. The dress code is garden-party elegance, so be sure to don your favorite floral or spring-colored outfit, hat/fascinator and comfortable shoes.
Jeans, and husbands, are not allowed at this event.
While future events may be open to spouses, Lois-Stine Cato, organizer of the event and a retired Air Force veteran, explained that this event is exclusively for women veterans.
“It allows us to let our hair down and be ourselves when we don’t have men around,” she said.
Cato’s ultimate goal is not only to create a space that invites sisterhood but also to share information about retreats and spaces where women veterans can relax. As a veteran herself, she wants others to take advantage of the resources available to them.
According to a study published in 2023 by The Journal of Health Services and Research, women veterans are more likely to be screened with probable depression, anxiety and PTSD than their male counterparts are.
“Depression, PTSD, mental trauma, and anxiety is something that women veterans have experienced or are still experiencing because of their service to the military,” Cato said, “If there’s resources that we can take advantage of to help us to not commit suicide, to not be depressed all the time, why not share?”
Nearing retirement in her civilian life, Cato has found herself curious about meeting other women veterans in the area. After joining some women veteran events, like coffee socials and a retreat with Women Veterans Ignited, she has decided to put her skills as a hostess to good use and organize the upcoming tea party. In the future, she hopes to make this event annual and connect with people to create a monthly newsletter with aggregated information for women veterans.
The Afternoon Tea for Women Veterans is free to attend. To find out more about the event, please contact loiscato@yahoo.com.
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